April is recognized as National Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month. With national statistics of one in four girls and one in six boys being sexually abused before their 18th birthday, the likelihood of knowing a child or adult who has been victimized is high. As adults, it’s our obligation to recognize potential signs of abuse and take an active role in preventing, responding to, and reporting suspicion of abuse.
Often there are no physical signs of abuse or neglect; however, the most recognizable signs are changes in the child. Some signs may include but are not limited to:
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Unexplained injuries, which may include cuts, burns, and/or bruises in a pattern or shape.
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The child may appear anxious, depressed, aggressive, or withdrawn.
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The child may regress to earlier behaviors that may be exhibited by thumb-sucking, bed-wetting, etc.
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Some children may express fear of going to the place in which the abuse may be occurring, such as home, school, church, etc.
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The child’s sleep patterns may change, and the child may report frequent nightmares. Often, adults notice a more fatigued or tired child.
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The child’s performance and attendance at school may be affected.
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The child may exhibit poor personal care or hygiene.
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Some children may display inappropriate sexual behaviors.
Sometimes, children are reluctant to disclose their abuse, and, as adults, we may struggle with ways to talk with our children about abuse. But it’s important to start when they are young. Talk with children about their bodies and feelings at an early age. Empower children to claim ownership of their bodies and feelings. Teach children that people should treat their bodies and feelings with respect, which means no one has the right to hurt them or make them or their bodies feel uncomfortable in any way. Likewise, children are to respect other peoples’ bodies and feelings.
We as adults must then be prepared to listen. Open the lines of communication, eliminate distractions, and create a safe space for your children to talk. Remember, children are learning to navigate this world, and as adults, it’s our job to be a positive sounding board and mentor, encouraging safety, growth, and understanding.
When a child brings their problems to you, thank them for telling you and talk with them about how you can work together to solve it. If you become aware or suspicious of child abuse when talking with your child, it’s vital to report immediately, so trained professionals can begin to ensure the child’s safety and investigate. Reports can be made to ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313, children and youth services, or local law enforcement.
When a report is made, often a local Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) becomes involved. The primary goal of a CAC is to coordinate investigative and intervention services by bringing together representatives from multiple disciplines who work collaboratively on behalf of children who have experienced or witnessed abuse, neglect, or other serious crimes.
Referrals to the CAC are typically made by an investigative entity such as law enforcement or child-protective services. The CAC is a child-focused and child-friendly facility, welcoming the child to feel safe and secure during an emotional and confusing time.
In areas where a CAC format is not present, children may end up telling their stories many times over. In instances such as this, children are likely to be retraumatized and potentially recant the allegations. Additionally, the questions asked may inadvertently lead children to omit pertinent information.
The CAC model provides a child-centered approach, where all members of the multidisciplinary investigative team (MDIT) come to a child at the CAC. The team observes the child-forensic interview from an adjacent room while a highly trained and specialized child-forensic interviewer interviews the child. Members of the MDIT include, but are not limited to, law enforcement, child-protective services, district attorneys, medical examiners, mental-health professionals, victim advocates, and more. Each entity has its own speci ed role in the investigation and intervention of child abuse.
It also is not uncommon for a CAC to partner with a health-care facility or physician group. If a center does not employ its own physician medical examiner, establishing a relationship with a physician group or hospital allows the center to provide health services to children without requiring additional travel.
At the center of everything, a CAC provides help, healing, and support for children. You can learn more about our local CAC — the Mount Nittany Health Children’s Advocacy Center of Centre County — by visiting mountnittany.org/ childadvocacycenter.
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